README for the Apache/Perl modules

These are Apache modules that embed a perl interpreter in the HTTP
server.  The benefit of this is that we are able to run scripts
without going through the expensive (fork/exec/parameter
passing/parsing, etc.) CGI interface.  The scripts will run faster and
they have direct access to the C API of the server.

The current approach of mod_perl is to allocate and construct a new
perl interpreter for each request.  The interpreter will then parse
and run a perl script and we finally destruct the perl interpreter in
order to free memory consumed.

The current approach of mod_perl_fast is to allocate and construct one
perl interpreter when the server starts.  At the same time, load,
parse and run one perl script, which may pull in other perl code such
as your favorite modules.  This also allows you to initiate persistent
connections such as to a database server.  Then, a subroutine in
memory is called to handle each request.  The interpreter is destroyed
upon restart or shutdown of the server.

This *is not CGI*, your existing scripts will need some changes.
Apache's i/o is not stream oriented.  So, you cannot print() to STDOUT
from your script, use $r->print() instead.  Nor can you read() from
STDIN, use $r->read() or the $r->content methods to read POST data.
(A clean mechanism is in the works for redirecting your script's
streams, see experimental Apache::TieHandle module.)  
See the eg/ directory and read the documentation in
Apache.pm for examples.

Your scripts will not run from the command line (yet).

For users of CGI.pm, see the Apache::CGI module for compatibility.
There are modules on the way to support the CGI::* modules as well.

It is also possible to write full-blown Apache modules in Perl for
things such as server side includes.  See the Apache::SSI module as
an example.
 
For comments, questions, bug-reports, announcements, etc., send mail
to majordomo@listproc.itribe.net with the string "subscribe modperl"
in the body.  (Thanks to Mark A. Imbriaco <mark@itribe.net>)

Thanks to James Cooper <pixel@tiger.coe.missouri.edu>,
there is a hypermail archive for this list at:
 
http://www.coe.missouri.edu/~faq/lists/modperl/
 

The latest version of this software and other information is availible
at: http://www.osf.org/~dougm/apache/

KNOWN BUGS

mod_perl leaks memory, this is a problem with perl itself, which is
being fixed.

mod_perl_fast leaks memory when the server is restarted this too is a
problem with perl itself, which is being fixed.

Installation needs work.

TODO
o Provide full support for CGI.pm and CGI::* module with Apache::* subclasses
o Make sure we are inline with Apache's security policy
o Apache::Database module or some such to manage 
  persistent database connections 
o Resolve multiple perl interpreter issues.
o Complete Apache.xs interface
o Look closer at the TIEHANDLE interface
o Provide an optional and configurable Safe wrapper around embedded scripts
  (almost there)

ACKNOWLEGEMENTS - See 'Changes' file

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Enjoy,
-Doug MacEachern <dougm@osf.org>